LETTERS

Pro-Test gets lots of emails every week. Here we'll be posting a representative sample of the letters of support we receive.

Hello to you all, I am a 51 year old grandmother and I am in awe of you all. To stand up and be counted for such an emotive subject takes some balls. My grandson has muscular dystrophy so I have a vested interest in animal testing but would never have known were to start to speak up for it, and I could never be as articulate or knowledgeable as you all are. I wish you all more power to your elbow please all keep safe and keep up the good work.
Yours in total admiration,
-- Cath Smith

I was so glad to hear that this group had been formed. I am a 34 year old man who has lived with psoriatic arthritis since childhood. I recently had my left hip replaced at the Nuffield Hospital NOC in Oxford. I have used a combination of drugs for decades to control the pain and cannot imagine not taking the pills. I am so grateful that people are standing up and being counted and putting the other side across like your group is doing. Thanks for doing this. It is appreciated by me and I am sure many others too whose lives depends on prescribed medicines day in and day out. -- Frank, Oxfordshire

I work on developing a vaccine for AIDS. The greatest hope for those at risk of HIV-1 infection remains the discovery of an affordable vaccine able to prevent the spread of the disease or at least prevent the clinical decline of those who do become infected. This will never be achieved without experimentation on animals. The work of Pro-Test in communicating the truth about the role and effectiveness of animal research in making medical advances is vitally important. Pro-Test are successfully galvanising public support behind medical research scientists and nurturing a culture of transparency and education about the crucial role of animal experimentation. What a great event the Pro-Test was. I will definitely try and make it to all future Pro-Test events. I can't wait to see the press coverage of it. There were so many of us. Little wonder that Speak decided to take all 20 members out to Morton in Marsh where they wouldn't be so embarrassed. I feel ready to be much more outspoken about my animal research now, and ready to tell everyone that I've been out marching with Pro-Test, instead of not mentioning it for fear of causing offence. -- Neil, Oxford

Go Pro-Test! I'd like to congratulate you on what you do and the way you have highlighted that actually most people are now in support of live testing. Well done! You've also given the 'little people' a voice - as in, now I realise that despite my age and location I can still make a difference. Because for ages I used that as an excuse until I saw the 'group founded by 16-year-old takes on animal rights extremists' headlines and thought 'wow, I'm the same age as him!' I certainly will be joining one of your marches in the near future. The Telegraph has credited Pro-Test with some of the reason the nation's opinion has changed on animal testing. Well done. Much admiration,-- Jenny, Crediton, Devon (aged 16)

I am in total favour of animal testing and it is refreshing and very pleasing to read such realistic, true and down right common sense arguments for animal testing. I often wonder what is happening to this planet and where we are positioned in terms of our beliefs and priorities. It seems that basic human requirements and needs such as health care and medicaments are tossed out of the window in favour of political correctness and ignorant class mantra rubbish to satisfy one's narrow minded conscience. Having children, I am eternally grateful for all the research and work that has been carried out on animals so as to safeguard my wife's safety in delivery of the child and that my children can live a life without pain and suffering. You have my full and undivided support. Kind regards,-- Andrew, Ljubljana, Slovenia